Tibetan Buddhism Books

Book SynopsisA fresh interpretation of the dakini—a Tibetan Buddhist symbol of the feminine—that will appeal to practitioners interested in goddess worship, female spirituality, and Tantric Buddhism The primary emblem of the feminine in Tibetan Buddhism is the dakini, or “sky-dancer,” a semi-wrathful spirit-woman who manifests in visions, dreams, and meditation experiences. Western scholars and interpreters of the dakini, influenced by Jungian psychology and feminist goddess theology, have shaped a contemporary critique of Tibetan Buddhism in which the dakini is seen as a psychological “shadow,” a feminine savior, or an objectified product of patriarchal fantasy. According to Judith Simmer-Brown—who writes from the point of view of an experienced practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism—such interpretations are inadequate. In the spiritual journey of the meditator, Simmer-Brown demonstrates, the dakini symbolizes levels of personal realization: the sacredness of the body, both female and male; the profound meeting point of body and mind in meditation; the visionary realm of ritual practice; and the empty, spacious qualities of mind itself. When the meditator encounters the dakini, living spiritual experience is activated in a nonconceptual manner by her direct gaze, her radiant body, and her compassionate revelation of reality. Grounded in the author''s personal encounter with the dakini, this unique study will appeal to both male and female spiritual seekers interested in goddess worship, women''s spirituality, and the tantric tradition.

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Book SynopsisThe Lamp That Enlightens Narrow Minds: The Life and Times of a Realized Tibetan Master, Khyentse Chökyi Wangchug presents an engaging account of the life of Khyentse Chökyi Wangchug, a realized Tibetan tulku (reincarnated lama or teacher). The book's historical references provide a detailed portrait of Tibet on the verge of invasion and occupation by Chinese forces in the decades leading up to 1959 when Chinese repression led the Dalai Lama to take refuge in India. Narrated by Chökyi Wangchug's nephew, author and international Tibetan teacher Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, this inspired biography describes the extraordinary events of Chökyi Wangchug's life during this momentous period in Tibetan history. Born in 1909 in a valley south of Derge, an ancient center of Tibetan culture, Chökyi Wangchug was recognized at an early age as a reincarnation of a tulku and thus received Buddhist teachings from the greatest masters of the epoch. A privileged observer of his uncle's life, Namkhai Norbu reveals the complexity of Tibetan Buddhist hierarchy and the conflicts caused not only by Chinese forces, but also by people close to Chökyi Wangchug who had become members of factions motivated by bigotry and personal greed. Despite the difficulties he encountered, he maintained a state of equanimity and dedicated himself to a life of peace and compassion for all sentient beings. Ultimately tortured and imprisoned by the Chinese, he and two other realized Tibetan teachers passed away at the same moment while meditating.

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Book SynopsisThis handbook to spirituality gathers together Danish meditation teacher Jes Bertelsen''s advice on training the mind through wordless prayer and meditation to realize the essence of consciousness. Bertelsen has been teaching philosophy and meditation since the early 1970s; in 1989, he met the Tibetan lama Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, who authorized Jes Bertelsen to teach Dzogchen, and to do so using his own judgment as to the most appropriate way to assimilate these teachings into Western culture. Bertelsen''s teachings are based on an experiential investigation of the nature of consciousness, using comparative analysis of Eastern and Western spiritual teachings and consciousness practices on a foundation of modern psychological, philosophical, and scientific approaches.Essence of Mind outlines the author''s experience and approach to Dzogchen, the natural primordial state of human consciousness that is timeless, pure, and untouched by suffering. The book is divided into three parts. The first part describes different methods for pointing out the essence of consciousness and the techniques related to them. The second part seeks to outline the key principles of a training system suited to Western students that can lead to realization. The final section outlines the significance of continuous exercises, and describes the way spiritual practice slowly permeates daily life, dreams, sleep, and eventually death. Through the mind-training process, the practitioner approaches an almost ecstatic state of completion, a luminous, blissful wakefulness in which the consciousness is also fully relaxed, not clinging to bliss or desiring ecstasy, but transparent and open.Bertelsen emphasizes that while more advanced forms of spiritual training can only take place in a face-to-face, deeply engaged mutual process between teacher and student, books are useful as sources of inspiration, in particular to help review one''s insights and refresh one''s practice. Essence of Mind systematizes the experiences that occur along the spiritual path and helps students to refine, correct, and clarify their efforts; it is the author''s hope that many students in the West will be able to benefit from his comparative approach to Dzogchen.

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Book SynopsisThe Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa brings together in eight volumes the writings of the first and most influential and inspirational Tibetan teachers to present Buddhism in the West. Organized by theme, the collection includes full-length books as well as articles, seminar transcripts, poems, plays, and interviews, many of which have never before been available in book form. From memoirs of his escape from Chinese-occupied Tibet to insightful discussions of psychology, mind, and meditation; from original verse and calligraphy to the esoteric lore of tantric Buddhism—the impressive range of Trungpa''s vision, talents, and teachings is showcased in this landmark series. Volume One contains Trungpa''s early writings in Great Britain, including Born in Tibet (1966), the memoir of his youth and training; Meditation in Action (1969), a classic on the practice of meditation; and Mudra (1972), a collection of verse. Among the selected articles from the 1960s and ''70s are early teachings on compassion and the bodhisattva path. Other articles contain unique information on the history of Buddhism in Tibet; an exposition of teachings of dzogchen with the earliest meditation instruction by Trungpa Rinpoche ever to appear in print; and an intriguing discussion of society and politics, which may be the first recorded germ of the Shambhala teachings.

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Book SynopsisThe Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa brings together in eight volumes the writings of the first and most influential and inspirational Tibetan teachers to present Buddhism in the West. Organized by theme, the collection includes full-length books as well as articles, seminar transcripts, poems, plays, and interviews, many of which have never before been available in book form. From memoirs of his escape from Chinese-occupied Tibet to insightful discussions of psychology, mind, and meditation; from original verse and calligraphy to the esoteric lore of tantric Buddhism—the impressive range of Trungpa''s vision, talents, and teachings is showcased in this landmark series. Volume Two examines meditation, mind, and Mahayana, the 'great vehicle' for the development of compassion and the means to help others. Chögyam Trungpa introduced a new psychological language and way for looking at the Buddhist teachings in the West. His teachings on human psychology and the human mind are included in this volume.

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Book SynopsisThe Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa brings together in eight volumes the writings of the first and most influential and inspirational Tibetan teacher to present Buddhism in the West. Organized by theme, the collection includes full-length books as well as articles, seminar transcripts, poems, plays, and interviews, many of which have never before been available in book form. From memoirs of his escape from Chinese-occupied Tibet to insightful discussions of psychology, mind, and meditation; from original verse and calligraphy to the esoteric lore of tantric Buddhism—the impressive range of Trungpa''s vision, talents, and teachings is showcased in this landmark series. Volume Four presents introductory writings on the vajrayana tantric teachings, clearing up Western misconceptions about Buddhist tantra. It includes three full-length books and a 1976 interview in which Chögyam Trungpa offers penetrating comments on the challenge of bringing the vajrayana teachings to America.

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Book SynopsisThe Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa brings together in eight volumes the writings of one of the first and most influential and inspirational Tibetan teachers to present Buddhism in the West. Organized by theme, the collection includes full-length books as well as articles, seminar transcripts, poems, plays, and interviews, many of which have never before been available in book form. From memoirs of his escape from Chinese-occupied Tibet to insightful discussions of psychology, mind, and meditation; from original verse and calligraphy to the esoteric lore of tantric Buddhism—the impressive range of Trungpa''s vision, talents, and teachings is showcased in this landmark series. Volume Seven features the work of Chögyam Trungpa as a poet, playwright, and visual artist and his teachings on art and the creative process, which are among the most innovative and provocative aspects of his activities in the West. While it includes material in which Trungpa Rinpoche shares his knowledge of the symbolism and iconography of traditional Buddhist arts (in Visual Dharma) , this richly varied volume primarily focuses on his own, often radical creative expressions. The Art of Calligraphy is a wonderful showcase for his calligraphy, and Dharma Art brings together his ideas on art, the artistic process, and aesthetics. Tibetan poetics, filmmaking, theater, and art and education are among the topics of the selected writings.

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Book SynopsisThe Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa brings together in eight volumes the writings of one of the first and most influential and inspirational Tibetan teachers to present Buddhism in the West. Organized by theme, the collection includes full-length books as well as articles, seminar transcripts, poems, plays, and interviews, many of which have never before been available in book form. From memoirs of his escape from Chinese-occupied Tibet to insightful discussions of psychology, mind, and meditation; from original verse and calligraphy to the esoteric lore of tantric Buddhism—the impressive range of Trungpa''s vision, talents, and teachings is showcased in this landmark series. Volume Eight covers matters of culture, state, and society. The two complete books reprinted here— Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior and Great Eastern Sun: The Wisdom of Shambhala —explore the vision of an ancient legendary kingdom in Central Asia that is viewed as a model for enlightened society and as the ground of wakefulness and sanity that exists as a potential within every human being. The selected writings include discussions of political consciousness, the martial arts, and the true meaning of warriorship. Two previously unpublished articles are 'The Martial Arts and the Art of War,' on the place of warriorship in the Buddhist teachings, and 'The Seven Treasures of the Universal Monarch,' a little gem describing the world of the Shambhala monarch.

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Book SynopsisChögyam Trungpa is virtually synonymous with the transmission of Tibetan Buddhism to the West. Over the course of his seventeen-year teaching career in North America, Trungpa ushered in a radically new approach to spirituality—both rooted in the ancient wisdom of the buddhadharma and thoroughly situated in the contemporary world. His teachings, grounded in what he called the “Shambhala vision,” focused on the development of an enlightened society through the transformation of ordinary, everyday life into sacred activity. Steering between Western biography and traditional Tibetan hagiography, Fabrice Midal takes you on a soaring journey through Trungpa’s life and teachings. Touching on all of the most momentous events, this series of glimpses into Chögyam Trungpa’s world provides a rare view on the formation of Trungpa’s thought and the remarkable body of teachings and writings that remain as his legacy. Included are accounts of:    • Chögyam Trungpa’s education in Tibet under the tutelage of great tantric masters, like Jamgön Kongtrül of Sechen and Khenpo Gangshar    • The founding of landmark centers for Buddhist practice and education, such as the Naropa Institute (now Naropa University), Karmê Chöling, and the Rocky Mountain Dharma Center (now the Shambhala Mountain Center)    • Trungpa’s historic meeting with the sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa in 1974, the first-ever visit of the Karmapa to America    • Behind-the-scenes stories of Trungpa’s most treasured writings, including Meditation in Action, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, and Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior    • And much more

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Book SynopsisThe three-volume set presents the collected works in English of one of the great luminaries of Tibetan Buddhism in our time, published to mark his centennial celebration. A complete exposition of the stages of the Buddhist path is presented through Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche''s commentaries on the root texts of classic Tibetan masters including Patrul Rinpoche, Jigme Lingpa, Shechen Gyaltsab, and Mipham Rinpoche. Originally given orally to Western students, the texts afford a rare glimpse into the direct transmissions of a master teacher. Moreover, several of the texts have never been published before. Volume one of this three-volume set begins with the inspiring story of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche''s life told largely in his own words and illustrated with historical photographs. This is followed by two texts that illuminate the instructions of the celebrated Ngulchu Thogme Zangpo on the Seven-point Mind Training and the Thirty-seven Practices of a Bodhisattva, teachings that constitute the heart of the Buddhist path.Volume One Contents: Journey to Enlightenment, Enlightened Courage, The Heart of Compassion

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Book SynopsisThis three-volume set presents the collected works of one of the great luminaries of Tibetan Buddhism in our time, published to mark his centennial celebration. A complete exposition of the stages of the Buddhist path is presented through Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche's commentaries on the root texts of classic Tibetan masters including Patrul Rinpoche, Jigme Lingpa, Shechen Gyaltsab, and Mipham Rinpoche. Originally given orally to Western students, the texts afford a rare glimpse into the direct transmissions of a master teacher. Moreover, several of the texts have never been published before.  Volume three expands on the inner core of the Vajrayana teachings and contemplative retreat practice. It begins with a guide to authentic spiritual practice that combines the wisdom of three of the greatest masters of the Tibetan tradition. This is followed by a witty manual of advice for solitary retreat; discussion of the four empowerments and the three samadhis; a commentary on an important dzogchen text; and quintessential teachings on the ultimate nature of the mind. The volume concludes with a selection from the few poems by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche that have been translated into English. All but one of the books in this volume is published here for the first time. Volume Three Contents: Zurchungpa's Testament, A Wondrous Ocean of Advice for the Practice of Retreat in Solitude, Pure Appearance, Primordial Purity, The Lamp That Dispels Darkness, Selected Verse

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Book SynopsisThis book is a translation of the first part of Jigme Lingpa’s Treasury of Precious Qualities, which in a slender volume of elegant verses sets out briefly but comprehensively the Buddhist path according to the Nyingma school. The concision of the root text and its use of elaborate poetic language, rich in metaphor, require extensive explanation, amply supplied here by the commentary of Kangyur Rinpoche. The present volume lays out the teachings of the sutras in gradual stages according to the traditional three levels, or scopes, of spiritual endeavor. It begins with essential teachings on impermanence, karma, and ethics. Then, from the Hinayana standpoint, it describes the essential Buddhist teachings of the four noble truths and the twelve links of dependent arising. Moving on, finally, to the Mahayana perspective, it expounds fully the teachings on bodhichitta and the path of the six paramitas, and gives an unusually detailed exposition of Buddhist vows. The paperback edition includes Jigme Lingpa’s root text in verse, which was not included in the hardcover edition.

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Book SynopsisThe basic teachings of Buddhism as they relate to everyday life—presented by the esteemed Tibetan meditation master In The Heart of the Buddha, Chögyam Trungpa examines the basic teachings of Buddhism and places them within the context of daily life. Divided into three parts, the book begins with a discussion about the open, inquisitive, and good-humored qualities of the “heart of the Buddha”—an “enlightened gene” that everyone possesses. Next, Chögyam Trungpa moves to the stages of the Buddhist path, presenting the three vehicles—Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana—that carry the Buddhist practitioner toward enlightenment. Finally, he describes the direct application of Buddhist teachings to topics as varied as relationships, drinking, children, and money.  The Heart of the Buddha reflects Trungpa’s great appreciation for Western culture and deep understanding of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, which enabled him to teach Westerners in an effective, contemporary way.

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Book SynopsisTeaches a series of six Tibetan-based meditations to settle and calm the mind; channel vitalizing energy throughout the body; connect with the living, healing quality of the earth; and uncover the body's untapped powers of perception, intuition, and wisdom.

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Book SynopsisThe Tibetan Buddhist tradition carries exotic tales about fearless female sky dancers, or wisdom dakinis, who dance in limitless space and act as messengers, guides, and protectors. These five dakinis manifest the feminine wisdom energy, bringing strength, power, and transformation to our lives. On The Mandala of the Enlightened Feminine, Tsultrim Allione, one of the first women to be ordained a Buddhist nun more than 30 years ago, guides listeners through 12 rich, image-filled sessions of meditations and visualizations, teaching us how to embody these archetypes of enlightenment and experience their transformative powers.

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Book SynopsisThe first and only English translation of the centuries-old Tibetan spiritual allegory of King Gesar, a tale on a par with The Arabian Nights or the King Arthur stories. For hundreds of years, versions of the Gesar of Ling epic have been sung by bards in Tibet, China, Central Asia, and across the eastern Silk Route. King Gesar, renowned throughout these areas, represents the ideal warrior. As a leader with his people''s loyalty and trust, he conquers all their enemies and protects the peace.      The example of King Gesar is also understood as a spiritual teaching. The "enemies" in the stories represent the emotional and psychological challenges that turn people toward greed, aggression, and envy and away from the true teachings of Buddhism.     The epic of Gesar is the longest single piece of literature in the world canon, encompassing some 120 volumes; here the first three volumes are translated, telling of Gesar''s birth, his mischievous childhood and his youth spent in exile, and his rivalry for the throne with his treacherous uncle.

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Book SynopsisThe best-selling author and spiritual teacher shares practices for living with wisdom and integrity even in confusing and uncertain situations—now available in Spanish. Vivimos en épocas difíciles. En ocasiones la vida parece un río turbulento que amenaza con ahogarnos y  destruir al mundo. ¿Por qué entonces no deberíamos aferrarnos a la certidumbre de la orilla —a nuestros patrones y hábitos familiares? Porque, según nos enseña Pema Chödrön, ese tipo de anclaje basado en el temor nos priva de la experiencia infinitamente más satisfactoria de estar plenamente vivos. Las enseñanzas que la autora nos presenta aquí —conocidas como los “Tres Compromisos”— brindan una riqueza de conocimientos para aprender a adentrarse directamente en el río, a acoger plenamente y sin temores el carácter insondable del ser humano. Cuando lo hacemos, empezamos a ver no solamente cuánto mejor se siente vivir de esa manera sino que descubrimos que, de manera natural y efectiva, empezamos a buscar el cuidado y apoyo de otras personas.

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Book SynopsisAn overview of Tibetan tantric practice that explains its concepts, clarifies its terminology, and shows how its myriad pieces fit together, including an extensive teaching on the bardos, or "between states"--essential for those new to the topic and a welcome source of illumination for longtime students.     Vajrayana methods for realizing the true nature of the mind take the resultant state of buddhahood as the path, or what is to be practiced. Pure Appearance focuses on the generation and completion stages of tantra that work with the pure form aspect of enlightenment. In this short but densely packed teaching, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche explains the structure of the tantric path and how its stages are put into practice, in terms that apply generally across the spectrum of deity practices. He emphasizes the distinctive features of the Nyingma approach but frequently correlates them with their counterparts in the New Translation traditions. The result is a crystal-clear depiction of a complex topic, a treasure trove of illuminating gems that will be welcomed by all students of Tibet''s Buddhist traditions.

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Book SynopsisA presentation on the Tibetan Buddhist path to enlightenment, through the lens of an artist''s eye and experience.The sacred arts play an essential, intrinsic role in Tibetan Buddhist practice. Here, one of the great practitioners and master artists of our time presents a guide to the Tibetan Buddhist path, from preliminary practices through enlightenment, from the artist''s perspective. With profound wisdom, he shows how visual representations of the sacred in paintings, sculptures, mandalas, and stupas can be an essential support to practice throughout the path. This work, based on the author''s landmark Tibetan text, The Path to Liberation, includes basic Buddhist teachings and practices, clearly pointing out the relevance of these for both the sacred artist and the practitioner, along with an overview of the history and iconography of Buddhist art.

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Book SynopsisThe Dalai Lama reveals how training the mind in compassion for other beings is directly related to—and a prerequisite for—the very pinnacle of Buddhist meditation The heart of meditation—the thing that brings it alive—is compassion. This is not an ordinary compassion but one that is developed and expanded in parallel with wisdom that arises through meditation. Without that essential foundation, other practices are pointless. Fortunately, the mind can be trained in compassion, and the mind thus trained is fertile ground for the practice of the Great Completeness (Dzogchen), which is considered the pinnacle of spiritual practice by many in Tibetan Buddhism.  In this book, His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches the Great Completeness simply but thoroughly, using as his reference a visionary poem by the nineteenth-century master Patrul Rinpoche to show that insight can never be separated from compassion. Through practice of the Great Completeness, we can access our innermost awareness and live our lives in a way that acknowledges it and manifests it. The wisdom and compassion that arise from such insight are critical, His Holiness teaches, not only to individual progress in meditation but to our collective progress toward peace in the world.

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Book SynopsisA direct, pithy, and accessible guide to the entire path of Tibetan Buddhism by one of the most beloved and respected contemporary lamas.Accessible, playful, and genuine, this concise guide shows how we can incorporate our own daily experiences into our spiritual path and awaken to how things truly are. By embracing sadness, love, and openness in our lives, we develop an altruistic attitude to help all beings who suffer and to reduce our own greed and aggression. This easy-to-read manual by one of the most widely loved and respected Tibetan Buddhist teachers of our time teaches us how to honestly explore and deal with our own hang-ups and neuroses. Through knowing our own true nature as aware and compassionate, we can progress, step-by-step, on the Buddhist path and use Rinpoche’s pithy wisdom along the way as a touchstone. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche’s fresh and engaged approach to timeless Buddhist wisdom enables us to deeply connect with authentic teachings in a modern context. This work is a delight and inspiration to read, outlining the major teachings and practices of Buddhism in a succinct way.

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Book SynopsisHow to be free from bondage to your emotions: a practical and powerful Buddhist teaching for training the mind to be content in any circumstance.Are emotions our friends or our enemies? Is it possible to free ourselves from emotional conflict? The Buddhist practice of lojong is a way of letting go of attachment to both “positive” and “negative” emotions and leads to profound insight and compassion, unbounded by our habitual reactions. This book provides a set of tools that you can apply in daily life to gradually relieve your own suffering and extend that relief to everyone you encounter.

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Book SynopsisA pithy guidebook for Buddhist pilgrims to the four holy sites of India.“The aim of all Buddhist practice is to catch a glimpse of the awakened state. Going on pilgrimage, soaking up the sacred atmosphere of holy places, and mingling with other pilgrims are simply different ways of trying to achieve that glimpse.”—from chapter 1, “Holy Buddhist Sites”   Pilgrimage is a powerful method for remembering the Buddha’s teachings and putting them into practice. For Buddhists, the most important holy places are the four sites associated with the Buddha’s life:             • Lumbini, where Siddhartha was born as an ordinary human being             • Bodhgaya, where Siddhartha became enlightened             • Varanasi (Sarnath), where the Buddha taught the path to enlightenment             • Kushinagar, where the Buddha passed into parinirvana While it may be an inconvenient, chaotic, and even dangerous journey, traveling to these places can be profoundly affecting and transformative for a practitioner.   In his fourth book, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse skillfully lays out how we can make the most of our experience as pilgrims. He explains what makes a person or place “holy,” what pilgrimage is all about, and what we can do when visiting the four holy sites of India and Nepal—or any holy place. This manual shows us how to partake in one of the most potent practices available to remind ourselves of the entirety of the Buddha’s teachings.

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Book SynopsisJamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye (1813?1899) was one of the most influential figures and prolific writers in the Tibetan Buddhist world. He was a founder and the single most important proponent of the nonsectarian movement that flourished in eastern Tibet and remains popular today. Two additional texts discuss his previous lives and recount Kongtrul''s final days. The Autobiography of Jamgön Kongtrul is part of The Tsadra Foundation Series published by Snow Lion Publications.

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Book SynopsisWith Dreams of Light, a world-renowned expert in lucid dreaming and Tibetan dream yoga guides us into the tradition's daytime practices Most of us are absolutely certain that we’re awake here and now—it’s a given, right? Yet, according to Tibetan dream yoga, ordinary waking life is in fact a delusion, as illusory as our nightly dreams. In his previous book Dream Yoga, Andrew Holecek guided us into Tibet's nocturnal path of lucid dreaming and other dimensions of sleeping consciousness. Now, with Dreams of Light, he offers us a step-by-step guide to Tibetan dream yoga's daytime practices. Known in Tibet as the "illusory form" practices, these teachings include insights, meditations, and actions to help us realize the dreamlike nature of our lives. Through an in-depth exploration of the tradition, beginners and seasoned practitioners alike will learn everything they need to enter the unexplored realms of our waking states. "If you've struggled to awaken in your dreams," teaches Holecek, "these techniques will often spark spontaneous lucidity during sleep. And if you're already a successful lucid dreamer, they will open you to new depths of experience throughout your day." For those curious about altered states of consciousness, psychedelic therapies, and near-death and out-of-body experiences, Dreams of Light opens a time-honored gateway to kindred—and for many, even more profound—terrains of perception.

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Book SynopsisBased on abundant Tibetan and Chinese materials, this book discusses the development and evolution of Tibetan Buddhism in China during the Qing Dynasty, and makes a detailed exposition of the system of Buddhist rituals, the temporal and religious administration system, study on living Buddha reincarnation and the system of drawing a lot from the golden urn, the system of conferment and rewards, system of certificates of lamas and the management mode of lamas of Tibetan Buddhism in the Qing Dynasty.Many previous studies on the history of Qing Dynasty and Tibetan Buddhism use Chinese materials – however, the author here is a Tibetan scholar who references and quotes a large number of first-hand Tibetan materials, providing extensive and informative research. The book systematically combs the various factions of Tibetan Buddhism, and expounds the establishment, inheritance, religious ceremony and theoretical characteristics of each faction.Table of Contents Introduction Overview of Relevant Literatures (1) A Study of Tibetan Buddhism Policy in the Qing Dynasty (2) Study on Living Buddha Reincarnation and the System of Drawing a Lot from the Golden Urn (3) Living Buddha Lineage in the Qing Dynasty (4) The Rise of the Gelug Sect in the Hinterland and Mongolian Region (5) Concluding Remarks Volume I Chapter I The Gelug Sect Section 1 The Founding of the Gelug Sect Section 2 The System of the Kadam Monastery (1)Inheritance of the Kadam Tripa (2)Inheritance of the Rongwu Monastery Section 3 The System of the Drepung Monastery (1)Inheritance of the Tar Monastery (2)Inheritance of the Gonlung Monastery (3)Inheritance of the Chuzang Monastery (4) Inheritance of the Serkog Monastery (5)Inheritance of the Labrang Monastery (6)Inheritance of the Lamo Deqen Monastery Section 4 The System of the Sera Monastery (1)Inheritance of the Garze Monastery (2)Inheritance of the Chone Monastery Section 5 The Tantric College in Lhasa (1)Inheritance of the Tantric Teachings of Segyu (2)Inheritance of the Lower Tantric College (3)Inheritance of the Upper Tantric College (4)Inheritance of the Qamdo Qambaling Monastery (5)Inheritance of the Sumtseling Monastery (6)Inheritance of the Jakhyung Monastery Section 6 Ensa Oral Lineage (1) Oral Lineage in the Period of the Kadam Monastery (2)The Ensa Oral Lineage in the Period of Retreats (3)Inheritance of the Tashilhungpo Monastery Chapter II Other Sects Section 1 Nyingma Sect (1)The Distant Exotic Kama Lineage (2)The Close Terma Lineage Section 2 Kagyu Sect (1)Karma Kagyu Sect (2)Taglung Kagyu Sect (3)Drigung Kagyu Sect Section 3 Sagya Sect Section 4 Jonang Sect Chapter III Classical Documents Section 1 Tibetan 'Tripitaka' (1) 'Kangyur' and 'Tengyur' (2) Tibetan Version of the 'Tripitaka' Section 2 Mongolian and Manchu Versions of the 'Tripitaka' (1) Mongolian Version of 'Tripitaka' (2) Manchu Version of 'Tripitaka' (3) Other Scripture Literatures Section 3 Other Scriptures (1)Other Scriptures of the Gelug Sect (2)Other Scriptures of the Nyingma Sect (3)Other Scriptures of the Kagyu Sect (4) Other Scriptures of the Sakya Sect (5)Tibetan Scripture Woodblocks of the Derge Printing House Section 4 Historical Books and Biographies of Lamas (1) Historical Books (2)Autobiographies of Eminent Monks Section 5 Works of Various Sects (1)Gelug Senior Monks and Their Masterpieces (2)Senior Monks of the Nyingma Sect and Their Works (3)Senior Monks of the Kargyu Sect and Their Works (4)Senior Monks of the Sagya Sect and Their Works Chapter IV Dogma and Doctrine Section 1 Core Dogma of Various Sects (1)Core Dogma of the Gelug Sect (2)Core Dogma of the Nyingma Sect (3)Core Dogma of the Kagyu Sect (4) Core Dogma of the Sagya Sect (5) Core Dogma of the Jonang Sect Section 2 Studies of Buddhist Sects and their Inheritance System Section 3 Tantras (1)Conceptual Explanation of Tantras (2)Definition of New and Old Tantras (3) Differentiation and Analysis of Tantra Hierarch (4) Four Classes or Six Classes of Tantra Section 4 Logic Chapter V The System of Buddhist Rituals Section 1 Monastic Discipline (1)Monk Positions (2)Buddhist Commandments Section 2 Khenpo System Section 3 Monastery Education (1)Teaching Materials (2) Teaching (3) Academic Titles Section 4 Prayer Festival (1)Monastery Dharma Events (2)Grand Prayer Festival in Lhas Section 5 Religious Festivals (1)Tibetan New Year (2)Butter Lamp Festival (3)Saga Dawa Festival (4)Shoton Festival Volume II Chapter VI The Temporal and Religious Administration System Section 1 Kublai Khan and Imperial Mentor of the Yuan Dynasty Section 2 Byangchu Gyaltsen and the Phagdru Regime Section 3 Gelug Sect and Mongol Khan Section 4 The Galoon Government Official and Local Political and Religious Administration Section 5 Tibetan Governor and the Political Situation in Tibet Section 6 Qing High Commissioner in Tibet and the Kashag Government (1) High Commissioners Stationed in Tibet (2) Kashag Government Section 7 Regent and the Dalai Lama Chapter VII The Living Buddha Reincarnation System Section 1 Black Hat Lineage of Karma Kagyu Sect Section 2 Dalai Lama Lineage Section 3 Panchen Erdeni Lineage Section 4 Jebtsun Penpa Hutuktu Lineage Section 5 National Preceptor Changkya Lineage Section 6 Four Major Ling's in Lhasa and Their Living Buddha Lineages (1) Tengye Ling (2) Tsomon Ling (3) Kunde Ling (4) Drib Tsemchok Ling Section 7 The Lineages of Eight Major Hutuktus in Beijing Section 8 Hutuktus on File in the Qing Dynasty Chapter VIII The System of Drawing Lots from a Golden Urn Section 1 Establishment of the System of Drawing Lots from a Golden Urn Section 2 Lot Drawing Ceremony for Four Major Living Buddhas in the Qing Dynasty (1) Reincarnated Soul Boy of the Dalai Lama (2) Reincarnated Soul Boy of the Panchen Erdeni (3) Reincarnated Soul Boy of Jebtsun Penpa (4) Reincarnated Soul Boy of Living Buddha Changkya Section 3 Lot Drawing Ceremony for the Reincarnated Soul Boy of Other Great Living Buddhas Chapter IX The System of Conferment and Rewards Section 1 Titles of the Dalai Lama Section 2 Titles of the Panchen Erdeni Section 4 Titles of National Preceptor Changkya Section 5 Titles of Other Living Buddhas Chapter X Management over Monasteries Section 1 Building and Repair of Monasteries (1) Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries in Beijing (2) No. 1 Royal Monastery - Yonghegong Lamasery (3) Monasteries of the Esoteric Sect (4) Monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism in Rehe (5) Monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism at Mount Wutai (6) Monasteries in Dolon Nor (7) Monasteries in Guihua (8) Qingning Monastery in Mobei Kulun (9) Puhua Temple in Ili of Xinjiang (10) Shisheng and Other Temples in Liaoning (11) Guangren Temple in Xi'an (12) Guangfa Temple in Jinchuan Section 2 Limits on the Size of Monasteries Chapter XI Organization of Lamas Section 1 Priesthood and Title (1)Dugang and Senggang (2)Lamas in Beijing (3)Lamas in Tibet and Western Region and Nomadic Lamas Section 2 System of Certificates of Lamas (1)Management of Certificated Lamas (2)Treatment for Certificated Lamas Section 3 Prohibitions on Lamas Section 4 Management over Lamas in U-Tsang Section 5 Limitation on Mongolians' Making Tea for Tibetan Lamas in Tibet Bibliographies Tibetan Bibliographies Chinese Bibliographies Postscript

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Book SynopsisIn Worlds in Harmony, the Dalai Lama explores the nature of suffering and its release through compassionate action. The book focuses on the understanding that a deep awareness of our shared desire to avoid pain leads to an awareness of our responsibility to relieve others of suffering. Worlds in Harmony offers the reader insight into the relation between awareness and right action, and bridges personal consciousness and global concerns. With the knowledge that insight is of no use unless it results in action, the Dalai Lama teaches ways of being, thinking, and acting in the world that are based on equanimity and understanding.

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